World’s largest, richest intercollegiate student startup competition opens call for graduate founders to compete for $1M-plus in prizes

Now in its 26th year, the Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC) presented by Rice Business has officially opened applications and is calling on the next generation of world-changing graduate student founders to compete on the global stage. This is where tomorrow’s industry leaders get their start.

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Hosted and organized by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, the RBPC is widely regarded as the world’s largest and richest intercollegiate graduate student startup competition. Over the course of three days, teams pitch to investors, receive mentorship and compete for more than $1 million in prizes. Since its inception, RBPC alumni have raised more than $6 billion in funding, transforming ideas presented early at Rice into thriving ventures making global impact.

Application deadline: Jan. 31, 2026
Competition dates: April 9-11, 2026 | Rice University, Houston

Rice Business — home to the nation’s No. 1 graduate entrepreneurship program for six consecutive years — is a cornerstone of Houston’s rapidly evolving innovation ecosystem. As the global headquarters for the energy and industrial economy, Houston provides a backdrop for the RBPC, where capital, talent and technology converge.

Each spring, the RBPC draws the brightest entrepreneurial talent from universities worldwide to Rice’s innovation hub and to campus in the heart of Houston. Here, collaboration, investment and cross-university connections strengthen both Rice’s leadership in entrepreneurship education and Houston’s growing role as a global innovation city.

Graduate student-led startups from any university are encouraged to apply by Jan. 31, 2026, at rbpc.rice.edu.

To help prospective teams prepare their strongest applications, the Rice Alliance will host virtual information sessions Nov. 13 and Dec. 11. These sessions will offer insights into the application process, eligibility requirements and what to expect during competition weekend.

Teams are initially eligible for the 2026 RBPC if their startup:

• Includes at least two current students with at least one graduate student in any field of study.
• Is fundraising or seeking investment within the next 12 months.
• Is developing a startup in one of the following sectors: energy; clean tech and      sustainability; life science and health care solutions; hard tech; digital enterprise; consumer products and services.

For more than 25 years, the RBPC has been the launchpad for founders at the beginning of their journey. The competition does more than award funding — it helps founders accelerate traction, gain visibility, refine strategy and build relationships with investors and corporate leaders who can open real pathways to scale. Graduate student-led teams who are building enduring companies, redefining industries and developing bold solutions to the world’s biggest challenges are encouraged to apply.